第23章 THE BOOK OF THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND ONE NIGHT(21)

Presentlymy wife returned from the bathand they served up supper and we ate and sat awhile drinking and talking as usual.

Then she called for my sleeping-draught and gave me the cup： and I feigned to drink itbut made shift to pour it into my bosom and lay down at once and began to snore as if I slept. Then said she'Sleep out thy night and never rise again！By AllahI hate thee and I hate thy person；I am sick of thy company and I know not when God will take away thy life！'Then she rose and donned her richest clothes and perfumed herself and girt on my sword and opened the palace gate and went out. I rose and followed herand she passed through the streets of the citytill she came to the gatewhen she muttered words I understood not： and straight-way the locks fell off and the gate opened. She went forth and fared on among the rubbish heapsI still following her without her knowledgetill she came to a reed fencewithin which was a hut of brick. She entered the hut and I climbed up on the roof and looking downsaw my wife standing by a scurvy black slavewith blubber lipsone of which overlapped the otherlike a coverlet，and swept up the sand from the gravel floorlying upon a bed of sugar-cane refuse and wrapped in an old cloak and a few rags. She kissed the earth before himand he raised his head to her and said'Out on thee！why hast thou tarried till now？ There have been some of my kinsmen the blacks heredrinking；and they have gone awayeach with his wench；but I refused to drink on account of thine absence.'O my lord and my love and solace of my eyes，'answered she'dost thou not know that I am married to my cousin，and that I hate to look upon him and abhor myself in his company.

Did I not fear for thy sakeI would not let the sun rise again till his city was a heap of ruins wherein the owl and the raven should hoot and wolves and foxes harbour；and I would transport its stones behind the mountain Caf.'Thou liestO accursed one！'said the black'and I swear by the valour of the blacks （else may our manhood be as that of the whites！） that if thou tarry again till this hourI will no longer keep thee company nor join my body to thine！O accursed onewilt thou play fast and loose with us at thy pleasureO stinkardO bitchO vilest of whites？'When I heard and saw what passed between them，the world grew dark in my eyes and I knew not where I was；whilst my wife stood weeping and humbling herself to him and saying'O my love and fruit of my heartif thou be angry with mewho is left meand if thou reject mewho shall shelter meO my beloved and light of mine eyes？'And she ceased not to weep and implore him till he forgave her. Then she was glad and rose and putting off her clothessaid to the slave'O my lordhast thou aught here for thy handmaid to eat？'Take the cover off yonder basin，'answered he；'thou wilt find under it cooked rats'bones，and there is a little millet beer left in this pot. Eat and drink.'So she ate and drank and washed her hands and mouth；then lay downnakedupon the rushesbeside the slaveand covered herself with the rags. When I saw thisI became as one distraught and coming down from the roofwent in by the door.

Then I took the sword she had brought and drew itthinking to kill them both. I struck first at the slave's neck and thought I had made an end of him；but the blow only severed the flesh and the gulletwithout dividing the jugulars. He gave a loud gurgling groan and roused my wifewhereupon I drew backafter I had restored the sword to its placeand resuming to the palace，lay down on my bed till morningwhen my wife came and awoke me，and I saw that she had cut off her hair and put on mourning garments. 'O my cousin，'said she'do not blame me for this I have done；for I have news that my mother is deadthat my father has fallen in battle and that both my brothers are dead alsoone of a snake-bite and the other of a fall from a precipiceso that I have good reason to weep and lament.'When I heard thisI did not reproach herbut said to her'Do what thou wilt： I will not baulk thee.'She ceased not to mourn and lament for a whole year，at the end of which time she said to me'I wish to build me in thy palace a tomb with a cupola and set it apart for mourning and call it House of Lamentations.'Quoth I'Do what seemeth good to thee.'So she built herself a house of mourningroofed with a domeand a monument in the midst like the tomb of a saint.

Thither she transported the slave and lodged him in the tomb. He was exceeding weak and from the day I wounded him he had remained unable to do her any service or to speak or do aught but drink；but he was still alivebecause his hour was not yet come. She used to visit him morning and evening in the mausoleum and carry him wine and broths to drink and weep and make moan over him；and thus she did for another yearwhilst I ceased not to have patience with her and pay no heed to her doingstill one day I came upon her unawares and found her weeping and saying'Why art thou absent from my sightO delight of my heart？ Speak to meO my life！speak to meO my love！'And she recited the following verses：

My patience fails me for desire： if thou forgettest meMy heart and all my soul can love none other after thee.

Carry me with theebody and soulwherever thou dost fareAnd where thou lightest down to restthere let me buried be.

Speak but my name above my tomb；the groaning of my bones，Turning towards thy voice's soundshall answer drearily.

And she wept and recited the following：

My day of bliss is that whereon thou drawest near to me；And that whereon thou turn'st awaymy day of death and fear.

What though I tremble all the night and be in dread of deathYet thine embraces are to me than safety far more dear.

And again the following：

Though unto me were given all that can make life sweetThough the Chosroes empireyeaand the world were mine，All were to me in value less than a midge's wingIf that mine eyes must never look on that face of thine！